


take me back to the house and the backyard trees

by komhmagnus



Series: Flufftober 2018 [24]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Flufftober, Friends to Lovers, Kid Fic, M/M, kid!Magnus, kid!alec, kid!izzy, magnus is in alec's sandbox
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-07 03:46:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16400750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/komhmagnus/pseuds/komhmagnus
Summary: for flufftober day 24:  sand





	take me back to the house and the backyard trees

**Author's Note:**

> title is from Mary's Song (Oh My My My) by Taylor Swift (hbd to her debut album)

Someone was in his sandbox, Alec realized from his spot on the couch. Izzy had dragged him into a Disney movie marathon a few hours before, and though he’d complained, he really didn’t mind. Right now they were on Sleeping Beauty, one Alec personally had never been much a fan of, and his attention had been drawn to the window.

He stood, much to his little sister’s disappointment. His eyes stayed on the figure in his sandbox. _Maybe it's Jace_ , he thought. But no, this person had darker hair.

“Where are you going?” Izzy whined while he put on his sneakers.

“Outside, duh.” He rolled his eyes when Izzy stuck her tongue out at him.

He stepped outside into the afternoon light, shutting the door gently behind him so as not to wake his baby brother. They’d celebrated Max’s third birthday just a few days ago, and everyone in the family was all too aware of how much their little monster of a toddler needed his naps.

The sun was just dipping below the trees, painting the sky muted pinks and purples. The warm air felt nice after being inside in the air conditioning all day, much too hot earlier to venture outside for more than a few minutes at a time.

The boy was still sitting in the sandbox, hands combing random patterns into the surface. His back faced Alec, but he recognized him now that he was closer. It was Magnus, the boy who’s family had just moved in next door a few days earlier. They’d met once, when Alec’s parents had insisted they all go over like polite neighbors and introduce themselves. He seemed nice, but Alec couldn’t help but frown when Magnus had kept calling him Alexander. Only his parents called him that.

“Hey,” he said, watching Magnus turn in surprise. The boy’s gold eyes widened.

“Hi,” he said, jumping to his feet. Grains of sand fell off his shorts like a waterfall. “Sorry, I should go.” He spoke quickly, but Alec still heard the slight wobble in his voice, and Alec _definitely_ didn’t miss the wet streak on his cheek.

“No, it’s okay,” Alec said before Magnus could disappear. He walked closer and plopped down into the sand, patting the spot beside him so Magnus would sit again.

Magnus looked at him hesitantly for a minute before dropping back into the sand.

“Are you okay?” Alec asked quietly.

Magnus’s eyes met his, wide and maybe a little embarrassed. “Yeah,” he said after a few seconds. “My mom and step-dad got in a fight earlier and he was yelling at her, and then he yelled at me. I needed to get out for a little bit.”

Alec gave him a small smile. “My parents fight a lot, too. It got a little better when my baby brother was born but it’s getting bad again.” He scrunched up his nose. “Why did your step-dad yell at you?”

Magnus shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t think he likes me very much.”

“Well, then, he’s stupid,” Alec said decidedly. He stood and held out a hand. “Come on, let’s do something fun.

Magnus raised his eyebrows. “Like what?”

“We could ride bikes,” Alec suggested. He frowned when Magnus sighed and shook his head.

“I don’t have a bike,” he explained.

Alec thought for a moment. “You can borrow Jace’s. He wouldn’t mind, but if he does I’ll take all the blame, I promise.”

Magnus laughed, the first real smile Alec had seen from him lighting up his face. He took Alec’s hand and let himself be pulled to his feet. “Alright. What a hero,” he laughed again.

“I’m his brother. He can’t kill me without making Mom or Dad angry,” he shrugged, grinning.

They spent the rest of the afternoon biking around the neighborhood, talking and laughing and quickly becoming best friends.

***

“Do you remember when we first met?”

Magnus’s voice was soft and warm as Alec felt lying there in his arms. Alec hummed, both in content and in response to the question.

“I assume you mean the first time we actually talked and not the time my parents forced me to be polite to the new neighbors.”

Magnus laughed, the sound ringing out in the quiet of their apartment. Alec grinned. He’d loved the sound that afternoon, and he sure as hell loved it now, more than a decade later. “Yes, that’s exactly what I mean.”

“Well,” Alec said, pretending to think for a moment. “I guess I _do_ remember you breaking into my sandbox and rudely interrupting the Disney movie I was watching with Iz.”

Magnus smacked his arm playfully. “I did not _break in_.” Alec reached out and caught his hand before he could pull it away, lacing his fingers through Magnus’s. “And besides, you helped me steal Jace’s bike.”

Alec snorted, feeling Magnus smile against his neck. “So basically we were both eight year old criminals?”

“Well you certainly stole my heart.” Alec couldn’t see it but he _knew_ Magnus was winking.

“You, Magnus Bane, are the biggest sap I have ever met in my entire life.”

“Is that a bad thing, Alexander?” Alec smiled. He’d once hated when Magnus called him by his full name, but now he loved it. He loved Magnus’s voice, but especially the way his own name rolled of his tongue, the way he always said it so reverently like it was the most important word in the world. It managed to steal Alec’s breath every single time.

“No, it’s not. I love it.” He turned, stretching so he could meet his fiancé’s golden eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Magnus said, leaning closer and connecting their lips, the kiss short and sweet. “Sap,” he whispered against Alec’s lips.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!! comments and kudos are appreciated <3  
> find me on tumblr and twitter @banesapothecary


End file.
